Reversible sign

ABSTRACT

A changeable sign consisting of a supporting plate having a rectangular exposure aperture, opposing vertical guide channels on the plate adjacent opposite ends of the aperture and pairs of spaced lugs on the plate adjacent the top and bottom edges of the aperture. A sign board having indicia on opposite sides has on one longitudinal edge thereof outwardly projecting headed opposite end arms slidably and rotatably engaging in the guide channels and has a T-shaped member projecting from its other longitudinal edge which is supportably engageable between the top pair of spaced lugs to expose one side of the sign board through the aperture. The sign board may be alternatively supported in an inverted position with said other longitudinal edge resting on the bottom lugs, with T-shaped member received therebetween, to expose the other side of the sign board through said aperture.

United States Patent Bult, III

[451 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] REVERSIBLE SIGN James P. Bult, III, 2924 Jerry Lee Avenue, Lake Charles, La. 70601 22 Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 [2i] Appl.No.: 82,931

[72] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolff AttarneyBerman, Davidson & Berman [5 7] ABSTRACT A changeable sign consisting of a supporting plate having a rectangular exposure aperture, opposing vertical guide channels on the plate adjacent opposite ends of the aperture and pairs of spaced lugs on the plate adjacent the top and bottom edges of the aperture. A sign board having indicia on opposite sides has on one longitudinal edge thereof outwardly projecting headed opposite end arms slidably and rotatably engaging in the guide channels and has a T-shaped member projecting from its other longitudinal edge which is supportably engagea ble between the top pair of spaced lugs to expose one side of the sign board through the aperture. The sign board may be alternatively supported in an inverted position with said other longitudinal edge resting on the bottom lugs, with T-shaped member received therebetween, to expose the other side of the sign board through said aperture.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures REVERSIBLE SIGN This invention relates to changeable sign assemblies, and more particularly to a changeable sign assembly of the type having a reversible sign board element carrying different indicia on the opposite sides thereof.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved changeable sign assembly which is relatively simple in construction, which is easy to manipulate, and which enables the indicia thereof to be quickly changed without requiring the use of tools and by simple manipulations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved changeable sign assembly which uses inexpensive parts, which is compact in size, which is neat in appearance, and which is provided with means for readily attaching'it'to any smooth supporting surface, such as a glass door pane or any other similar transparent supporting surface.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved changeable sign assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown with the sign board element thereof removed from the main supporting plate of the assembly.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view. of the assembly of FIG. 1 shown with the sign board element thereof installed in inverted position as compared with the position thereof shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a typical changeable sign assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention. The assembly 11 comprises a main platelike support member 12 which may be of any desirable shape, for example, of rectangular shape, as shown in FIG. 1. The support member 12 is formed with an elongated, longitudinally extending exposure aperture 13, which may be of any desirable shape, for example, which may be of rectangular shape elongated in a longitudinal direction.

Integrally molded with or otherwise rigidly secured to the main plate member 12, outwardly adjacent to and parallel with the ends of the aperture 13 are respective inwardly facing opposing hook-shaped guide ribs 14,14 said guide ribs including the inwardly facing channeled head portions 15. Opposite the inwardly channeled head portions 15 the plate member 12 is formed with respective clearance grooves 16, said grooves 16 being substantially coextensive with the ribs 14, but extending a short distance thereabove, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Integrally formed on, or otherwise rigidly secured to, plate member 12 are respective pairs of lug members 18,18 and 19,19, projecting from the same side as the plate member 12 as the ribs 14, and being respectively located above the i portion of the top edge and below the 1' portion of the bottom edge of the aperture 13, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1. The lugs 18 and 19 are provided with upstanding flange elements 20 and 21, respectively, at their outer ends.

Designated at 22 is a sign board which is generally rectangular in shape and which is provided with different indicia on its opposite faces. As viewed in FIG. 1, the signboard 22 is provided at its bottom corners with horizontally extended oppositely projecting arms 23,23 which-are aligned with the bottom longitudinal edge of the sign board and which are provided at their outer ends with circular head portions 24,24 receivable in the respective hook-shaped guide ribs 14,14. The opposite longitudinal edge of the sign board 22, shown at 25, is formed at its midportion with a generally T-shaped detent member 26 which is located so as to be receivable between either the pairs of lugs 18,18 or 19,19 in a manner presently to be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, circular elements 24 are substantially equal in diameter to the distance between the inside wall surfaces of the channeled elements 15 and the bottoms of the grooves 16 but have sufficient looseness so as to be rotatable and slidable therein. The grooves 16 rise sufliciently above the top ends of the ribs 14 to provide clearance for removal of the circular head elements 24,24 from the channeled ribs as required.

The sign board 22 either may be positioned with one face or the other face thereof exposed through the aperture 13. In one position, shown in FIG. 1, the sign board element 22 has the circular head elements 24 engaged in the guide ribs 14,14 with the detent member 26 at its top edge, with the leg portion of the detent member 26 received between the top lugs 18,18 and the head element 30 of the detent member 26 supportingly engaged on said lugs and being retained thereon by the retaining flanges 20,20, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 2. In this position of the sign board element 22, the circular head elements 24,24 are located in the lower portions of the hookshaped guide ribs 14,14.

When it is desired to reverse the sign board element 22 to display the indicia on the opposite side thereof through the aperture 13, the sign board element 22 is elevated sufficiently to allow the detent member 26 to be disengaged from the top lugs 18, 18, and is then further elevated and the sign board is then inverted and the shank portion of the detent member 26 is then engaged between the bottom lugs 19,19 with the longitudinal edge 25 thereof supportingly engaged on said lugs, as illustrated in full line view in FIG. 2. In this position the circular head elements 24,24 are located in the upper portions of the guide ribs 14,14.

It will be noted that in either position of the sign board element 22, the flanges 20,20 and 21,21 act to retain the center portion of the sign board element close to the exposure aperture 13 and also serve to prevent outward swinging movement of the sign board element. However, it will be readily apparent, when it is desired to again reverse the sign board element from the position shown in full line view to the position shown in dotted line view in FIG. 2, it is merely necessary to elevate the sign board element slightly, sufficient to allow edge 25 thereof to clear the upstanding flanges 21,21 of the bottom lugs 19,19 after which the sign board element can be swung outwardly and upwardly, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 3, so that finally the detent member 26 can be engaged with the top lugs 18,18 in the manner illustrated in dotted view in FIG. 2. The bottom lugs 19,19 are so located that in this position, namely, with the detent lug 26 engaged with the top lugs 18,18, the opposite longitudinal edge 31 of the sign board element is supportingly engaged with the bottom lugs 19,19.

Provided on the corner portions of the main supporting plate 12 on the side thereof opposite the ribs 14,14, namely, the front side thereof, are respective adhesive pads 33, which may consist of squares of adhesive material having adhesive on both sides thereof, the squares being adhesively secured to the comers of the plate 12 on one side and being adapted to be adhesively secured to any suitable smooth supporting surface, such as a glass pane, or the like, on the other side. This enables the assembly to be quickly mounted on the pane of a glass door -or on the pane of a window, as required. When so mounted, the assembly will be visible from the outside of the window or door.

The comer portions of the main support plate 12 are furthermore provided with apertures 34, in the event that it is desired to permanently fasten the assembly by the use of suitable fasteners, such as screws, nails, or the like, to any desired supporting surface.

While a specific embodiment of an improved changeable sign assembly has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modification within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A changeable sign assembly comprising a main platelike support formed with an elongated exposure aperture having top and bottom edges as well as opposed side edges, parallel opposing guide means on one side of said support adjacent to the respective opposite side edges of said exposure aperture extending transversely to the length direction of said aperture, respective lug elements on said one side of the support adjacent to the top and bottom edges of said aperture, an elongated sign board having longitudinal edges and carrying different indicia on its opposite sides, respective aligned projections on the opposite ends of one longitudinal edge of said sign board and being respectively slidably and rotatably interengageable with said guide means, and a detent member projecting from the opposite longitudinal edge of said sign board and in one position being supportingly engageable with the top lug elements so as to expose one side of said sign board through said aperture, the said opposite longitudinal edge being supportingly engageable with the bottom lug elements to expose the other side of said sign board through the aperture when said sign board is slidably and rotatably interengaged within said guide means.

2. The changeable sign assembly of claim 1, and wherein said guide means comprises parallel opposing hook-shaped guide ribs.

3. The changeable sign assembly of claim 2, and wherein said projections have circular end heads slidably and rotatably engaged in said hook-shaped guide ribs.

4. The changeable sign assembly of claim 3, and wherein said lug elements comprise respective pairs of spaced aligned lugs located to receive said detent member therebetween.

5. The changeable sign assembly of claim 4,- and wherein said detent member is substantially T-shaped, with the head portion thereof supportingly engageable on the top pair of lugs to expose said one side of the sign board through said aperture.

6. The changeable sign assembly of claim 5, and wherein said lugs have upstanding retaining flanges at their outer ends.

7. The changeable sign assembly of claim 6, and wherein said support is formed with clearance grooves facing and substantially coextensive with the hooked portions of said guide ribs and being adapted to receive portions of said circular end heads.

8. The changeable sign assembly the claim 7, and a plurality of adhesive pads on the opposite side of said platelike support.

9. The changeable sign assembly of claim 8, and wherein said platelike support is substantially rectangular in shape and said adhesive pads are mounted on the comers of said support. 

1. A changeable sign assembly comprising a main platelike support formed with an elongated exposure aperture having top and bottom edges as well as opposed side edges, parallel opposing guide means on one side of said support adjacent to the respective opposite side edges of said exposure aperture extending transversely to the length direction of said aperture, respective lug elements on said one side of the support adjacent to the top and bottom edges of said aperture, an elongated sign board having longitudinal edges and carrying different indicia on its opposite sides, respective aligned projections on the opposite ends of one longitudinal edge of said sign board and being respectively slidably and rotatably interengageable with said guide means, and a detent member projecting from the opposite longitudinal edge of said sign board and in one position being supportingly engageable with the top lug elements so as to expose one side of said sign board through said aperture, the said opposite longitudinal edge being supportingly engageable with the bottom lug elements to expose the other side of said sign board through the aperture when said sign board is slidably and rotatably interengaged within said guide means.
 2. The changeable sign assembly of claim 1, and wherein said guide means comprises parallel opposing hook-shaped guide ribs.
 3. The changeable sign assembly of claim 2, and wherein said projections have circular end heads slidably and rotatably engaged in said hook-shaped guide ribs.
 4. The changeable sign assembly of claim 3, and wherein said lug elements comprise respective pairs of spaced aligned lugs located to receive said detent member therebetween.
 5. The changeable sign assembly of claim 4, and wherein said detent member is substantially T-shaped, with the head portion thereof supportingly engageable on the top pair of lugs to expose said one side of the sign board through said aperture.
 6. The changeable sign assembly of claim 5, and wherein said lugs have upstanding retaining flanges at their outer ends.
 7. The changeable sign assembly of claim 6, and wherein said support is formed with clearance grooves facing and substantially coextensive with the hooked portions of said guide ribs and being adapted to receive portions of said circular end heads.
 8. The changeable sign assembly the claim 7, and a plurality of adhesive pads on the opposite side of said platelike support.
 9. The changeable sign assembly of claim 8, and wherein said platelike support is substantially rectangular in shape and said adhesive pads are mounted on tHe corners of said support. 